Picture frame with permanent inlay



Nov. 30, 1954 G. RosENBERG ETAL 2,695,470

PICTURE FRAME WITH PERMANENT INLAY Filed March 2l, 1952 United States Patent 'O PICTURE FRAME WITH PERMANENT INLAY George Rosenberg, Forest Hills, and Louis Spiselman, Brooklyn, N Y.

Application March 21,1952,Seria1N0. 277,794

` 1 claim. (C1. '4D- 152) This invention relates to an improved metal picture frame of the mitered corner type, and one of its objects is to provide a metal picture frame having frame bars of molded sheet metal, each one of which is formed with a longitudinal channel and provided with a decorative inlay of plastic strip material interlocked in said channel against outward and endwise displacement.

A leading object of the invention is to form the inlay holding channel with spring dovetailed side walls and to secure the plastic inlay strip in the channel by expanding the dovetailed side walls and forcing the plastic strip into position against the iloor of the channel and then allowing the side walls to snap back against the side edges of the plastic inlay strip, to permanently retain the same in place against both longitudinal and outward displacemelnt, under the spring pressure of the dovetailed side wa ls.

With the above and other objects in View the invention comprises certain new and useful constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts, clearly described in the following specification, and fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a plan View of the improved picture frame, showing the picture display side or face thereof.

Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof, showing the sliding easel for the frame.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal central sectional View, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a detail edge view, looking at the miter corner.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary rear view of the frame.

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view through the inlay holding channel, showing the same in closed condition.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional View through the inlay channel, showing one type of tool for expanding the spring side walls thereof to insert the plastic inlay strip by lateral movement, instead of by longitudinal sliding.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the practical embodiment of the invention, 10 designates a metal picture frame, constructed of parallel or other side bars 11 and 12, a top end bar 13, and a bottom end bar 14. Each of these bars is constructed of a strip of thin sheet metal, embossed or otherwise made artistic in appearance, and each bar includes the face wall 15, the side wall 16, and the retaining back wall flange 17.

The outside Wall 16 is shown to be disposed at right angles to the plane of the face of the picture frame, and the face wall is pitched at a moderate angle inwardly, and the inner edge 15a thereof is deflected or curved inwardly to have contacting engagement with the outer face of the glass panel 18, which is curved transversely and is also curved longitudinally, to provide` a bulged central area.

The face wall 15 is formed with a press moulded longitudinal channel 19, having dovetailed side walls 20 and 21, providing spring jaws for holding the plastic inlay strip 21, which is inserted in the channel 19. This insertion is made by expanding the spring jaws or side walls 20 and 21, by a suitable press operated or other tool, and inserting the plastic inlay strip at the time and by the tool is operated to afect the outward displacement of the spring side walls or jaws. By this operation the insertion of the inlay strip by sliding it longitudinally in the dovetailed channel is avoided.

In Fig. 7 we show one method and one type of tool and operation for expanding the spring side walls or holding jaws of the longitudinal channel 19, and of forcing d 2,695,470 Patented Nov. 30, 1954 2 the inlay strip into the channel. This tool comprises the shank 30, having parallelstrips 31 and 32 hinged to the lower end thereof, by the pintles 33. A plunger rod 34 slides in the shank 30 against the compression spring 35, and is provided with a cross pin 36, which operates in a longitudinal slot 37 of `the shank, to limit the travel of the plunger. The forward end of the `plunger is wedge shaped at 38, and a metal plate 39 is secured thereto. In its initial position the plunger wedge 38 is disposed below the parallel strips or jaws 31 and 32.

The inlay strip is rst placed in line with the channel, by inserting each end of the inlay strip under the corner masking member 22, covered by a pending patent application. The frame bar is then placed under the expanding and inserting tool and pressure is applied on the tool, to cause the plate 39 to engage the inlay strip and at the same time expand the jaws or strips 31 and 32 against the spring side walls or jaws 20 and 21 of the longitudinal channel 19. On withdrawing the shank from pressure applying position, the plunger wedge separates from the jaws or strips 31 and 32 leaving the plastic inlay strip in the channel 19, as the spring side walls or jaws 20 and 21 close upon the longitudinal side edges of the inlay plastic strip, thus locking the inlay strip permanently in place against longitudinal displacement and lateral displacement from the channel 19. Should a person drop the picture frame the plastic inlay strip will remain in its original position, and will not shift longitudinally or bulge forwardly to disturb the rather beautiful effect produced.

The corner masking unit is made of sheet metal and is formed with opposed retaining prongs 22a and 22b, shown in Fig. 4, which are inserted in receiving slots formed in the central wall 19a of the channel 19. Each end of the plastic inlay strip is placed under this corner coupling 22, but the inlay strip is wholly retained in place by the dovetailed construction of the channel 19 aided by the spring pressure of the side walls thereof. The prongs are folded under the crowned body of the masking unit or coupler 22, so that the jointing of the picture frame, or its miter corner, will not be visible and the union of the unit 22 with the frame will be wholly concealed.

The retaining back flange or wall 17 is curved so that its longitudinal edge will engage the easel 25, which is slidably positioned under the side back flanges 17, the lower end of the picture frame being constructed without a back wall flange 17 to permit of the insertion and removal of the easel, and the backing board or sheet 26, and the picture sheet 27.

The spring side walls 20 and 21 of the channel 19 hold the plastic inlay strip so that the longitudinal side edges of the inlay strip are not visible from the face of the picture frame, and this tends to enhance the artistic appeal of the picture frame. Due to the slight overlying relation of the rounded outer corners of the spring side walls 20 and 21 on the plastic inlay strip, and the close fitting established by the spring snap action of the side walls on this inlay strip, no gap appears between the side edges of the inlay strip and the side walls of the picture frame. The effect is to present the plastic inlay strip, which is preferably designed to imitate mother of pearl or some other valuable decorative material, as an enamel baked directly on the metal of the picture frame.

Bymeans of our invention a highly artistic metal picture frame is produced, which can be manufactured for the low price iield for use by the millions, at a price competitive with inferior picture frames.

The inlay may be used to indicate classes of students, period of advancement, ranking of officers, credits given, or used for displaying sacred religious symbols or figures.

It is understood that various changes in the details of construction, their combination and arrangement, made under the pressure of style variations, may be carried out, within the scope of the protection afforded by the claim hereof.

Having described the invention, we claim as patentably new:

A picture frame having side and end frame bars constructed of sheet metal to provide for each bar an in- Wardly inclined face wall, an outer side wall and a back retaining ange, the face wall of each bar having a longitudinal channel, the corner portions of adjacent bars being provided with miter. corner joints, a masking coupler disposed over each miter corner joint and covering end portions of adjacent channels, each of said channels having spring dovetailed side walls, and a plastic strip inserted by lateral pressure in each channel with its opposite ends projecting under and concealed by the adjacent couplers, each plastic strip being retained by the spring pressure of said side walls last named, said side walls last named being displaceable outwardly to admit said strip,

4 References Cited in the le of this patent 15 Number 37 424,43 1

A UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Harsha Mar. 31, Booth Jan. 14,

Aug. 15,

Eyring July 5,

Raymond Jan. 9,

Cohen Dec. 3,

Prew Feb. 10,

Couzinet July 1,

FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Ian. 1,

Great Britain Feb. 21, 

